Aging is Changing
Many of you have heard me say aging is changing. Aging is not what it was to our grandmothers or our mothers. Have you ever looked at a photo of your grandmother and upon calculating her age been shocked to find she was much younger than you, but looked so much older. What was considered old for previous generations looks very different today.
Aging is changing. It is not what it was to our grandmothers or our mothers. We are living longer and healthier lives than ever before. This is due to a number of factors, including advances in medical care, improved nutrition, and a greater focus on preventive health.
In the past, people would typically retire at the age of 65 and then spend their remaining years in a nursing home or assisted living facility. However, today, people are living longer and healthier lives. They are staying active and engaged in their communities, and they are not retiring as early. This is leading to a new definition of aging, one that is more active and independent.
As a result of these changes, we have the opportunity to live our later years in a way that is more fulfilling and productive than ever before. We can continue to learn, grow, and contribute to society. Aging is changing and so are you. Every day is a new beginning. Every moment of every day you are changing in a million little ways you are not even aware of. Because every day builds on the day before. Whether the experiences were good or bad they have altered who you are today and caused you to grow. Aging is changing but so are you; every day. It is time to change our perceptions of aging.
Women have been changing their perceptions of what is acceptable and possible at every age. So many old beliefs have fallen by the wayside. Yet some women are still stuck on things that were told to them 40 or 50 years ago. Such as older women should not wear long hair. Genevieve Antoine Dariaux “A Guide to Elegance” in 1964 stated you should adopt a neat and simple style: either short, or pinned up in a French roll or chignon; but never in any case long, glamorous tresses hanging down to your shoulders”.
There are many out dated perceptions that some women still carry in the back of their minds due to things they heard 40 or 50 years ago. Such as wearing neutral colors, wearing only clothes meant for older women, wear nothing too revealing, do not reveal upper arms, and avoid wearing makeup. We have grown and changed and an older woman today is a very different person than that woman in the photo of your grandmother.
Aging is a gift. It is a time to reflect on our lives and to appreciate all that we have accomplished. It is a time to set new goals and to dream big. It is a time to make a difference in the world. So, let's embrace aging. Let's make the most of our later years. Let's live our lives to the fullest.